Garden planters tips?

[rcx132]

My wife has asked if I would make her some planters. She doesn't mind whether they're from decking or railway sleeper type wood. My main question is whether I need to use damp proof membrane to protect the planter and maybe have it off the ground on stones or something?

I've seen online to my surprise that genuine reclaimed sleepers are cheaper than the new softwood lookalikes. I have kids though I guess those are out as they will sit on the creosote.

 

[angellonewolf]

yes membrain if you want it to last for a good time wet againt the wood not do it well

of the ground a little with drain holes

 

[cocker]

These look alright

 

[Parm]

I’ve made quite a few, mostly from recycled oak flooring planks. DPM is a must

i used 2 layers of 1000 gauge polythene as that’s what I had

Best to have legs that raise off the floor a bit

Also good to raise the floor internally so less soil is required if only for small plants

 

[TechnicAl]

I painted mine with bitumen....that way you can leave holes in the bottom so they can drain....get too wet otherwise.......they are currently falling apart but theyve been there 20 years.

 

[badabec]

Keep thinking about it until she goes off the idea

 

[frank horton]

polystyrene packaging for bulk in the bottom (less soil)
always use a membrane....we use anything thats laying around...the planters n barrels get emptied every winter...
new soil and new plants.....the soil get depleted very quickly....so we feed once per week......

 

[brightspark]

polystyrene packaging for bulk in the bottom (less soil)
always use a membrane....we use anything thats laying around...the planters n barrels get emptied every winter...
new soil and new plants.....the soil get depleted very quickly....so we feed once per week......

water all my baskets and planters with tomorite tomato feed once a week .idiots pay a fortune for miracle grow and your only paying for the name and advertising

 

[4String.]

the soil get depleted very quickly....so we feed once per week......

<<< this. (Turned clockwise 90 degrees )

Anything planted in a container has a finite supply of nutrients so it needs feeding. I use a liquid feed made from young nettle tops steeped in a bucket of water for a few days. It's extremely strong so it needs diluting about 10 parts water to 1 part feed and it stinks to high heaven but it's a top class feed. No chemicals involved and the used nettles can be composted after steeping so it's about as eco friendly as it gets .

 

[cocker]

Today , I got the wood to make two of these .
I don't think I'll be able to drink enough tonight to get over the shock of how much timber has gone up in price !
Take your better half down the garden center and buy her whatever pots she wants - it'll be cheaper !

 

[slim_boy_fat]

young nettle tops steeped in a bucket of water for a few days.

Have you tried that, but using seaweed?

 

[4String.]

Have you tried that, but using seaweed?

Not much of it about in the North Pennines .

But seriously though, when me and the previous Mrs 4String lived up near Oban we used to hope for a good westerly storm in mid December which washed many tons of seaweed onto the beach. Guess what my Dad got for Christmas? Yep, half a dozen bin bags of seaweed for his greenhouse .

And before we moved up there we were always out in the mountains at the weekend so we used to take him bags of sheep muck home. He used to fill a hessian sack with the stuff then tie a rope to it and leave it in the water butt. Every day he'd dunk it up and down a few times before watering the plants but it worked because all his tomatoes and beans grew magnificently!

I just wish I could convince my OH that a 7" pot of compost doesn't contain enough nutrients to support a tomato plant throughout its life...

 

[rcx132]

Thanks for all the tips. This is how things went....
Used concrete blocks to keep off the ground and bitumen paint to damp proof it on the inside, as I'm not a fan of DPM.
I've got some concrete gravel boards to do the rear but they're not in yet.